Channing Tatum | Film | Nathaniel Rogers

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04/24/2009


Star Brawlers and Transgendered Quarterbacks, Y'All

Tatum_titles
Right across from you on the subway. Would you miss your stop?

Guestblogger NATHANIEL ROGERS

Nathaniel Rogers is older than Penélope Cruz, younger than Nicole Kidman and has neither dated nor signed a contract with Tom Cruise. He blogs daily at The Film Experience.

Pardon my drawl but I've been in Tennessee all week and it's starting to sink in. I've been jurying at the 40th annual Nashville Film Festival (NaFF). Festivals are like cinematic bubbles. You become closed off from the real word movie news. That said I do know that Channing Tatum is ready to brawl. I keep tabs, y'all. So a quick word on new releases before the same sex oriented bits.

Beyonce_fierce Take One: Opening This Weekend.
Has Beyoncé finally made her Glitter? One can only hope that OBSESSED is "so bad it's good" because it certainly doesn't look "good". Upgrade U(r film career, Ms. Fierce). If you're not looking for a catfight but a boy brawl, Channing Tatum will provide in Dito Montiel's FIGHTING. This is the director and star's second film together (the first was A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints) and they're already planning their third. They're like a low rent Scorsese/DiCaprio. Finally, there's THE SOLOIST in which Oscar-less Robert Downey Jr plays a reporter to Jamie Foxx's schizophrenic homeless musician. If RDJ wants an Oscar he's going to have to start playing the schizophrenic homeless musicians.

Take Two: New Gay Films
Nashville isn't exactly mecca for gay cinema, but it had its moments. Ready for the (vaguely NSFW) gayest moment in the festival movies? It's AFTER THE JUMP

Thewatch

Was that too much of a cocktease? If so, it's nicely representative of the Argentian short EL RELOJ (THE WATCH) in which Javier (nervous on the left)  takes a taxi home with Juan Pablo (right, fighting the battle of the bulge) but neither seems to know quite what to do or when to do it once they get there. Especially with Pablo's roomate hanging around in his undies watching TV. It's a mildly funny tease and shorts are best when they stick to brief impressions (puns intended).

Kimberly_reedNaFF featured only one fictional gay film, the lesbian comedy THE BABY FORMULA but documentaries were out in force. ASK NOT examined the military's failed "don't ask/don't tell" policy (but strangely skimped on lesbians in the military), HOUSE OF NUMBERS saught clarity and understanding rather than the heavily politicizing which surrounds the HIV/AIDS epidemic, and SHAKESPEARE AND VICTOR HUGO'S INTIMACIES  listened to old women at a lodging home reminiscing about a young beautiful and talented homosexual who once lived with them. He may or may not have been a serial killer.

 But the cream of the festival crop was the riveting PRODIGAL SONS, an autobiographical docu-memoir from transgendered filmmaker Kimberly Reed (pictured left). I expect the film will have many champions when it sees release sometime later this year. [Pssst. Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban attended the screening before mine and I hope they were as wowed as I was]  The film begins as Kimberly returns to her 20 year high school reunion in Montana where she was once "Paul", the handsome star quarterback. While she's there she hopes to mend her relationship with her adopted brother. And that's just the beginning of this incredibly moving, twisty story of a troubled but loving family struggling with gender, biology, sexuality, family rifts, grief, sibling rivalry and mental illness. Keep an eye out for this film. It's great.

But maybe you didn't read any of this...

You're still thinking about Channing Tatum and the guaranteed homo-eroticism of "fighting" movies, aren't you?

Fighting_homoerotic

Posted 2:30 AM EST by Nathaniel_R in Channing Tatum, Film, Nathaniel Rogers | Permalink

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  1. yes. i am still thinking about channing tatum.

    Posted by: chris | Apr 24, 2009 8:26:24 AM


  2. I went to yesterday's screening of House Of Numbers and the panel that followed the movie had more drama and accusations than the film!

    From my perspective, the movie simply pointed out some inconsistencies with regards to HIV tests, different definitions of AIDS (that was a new one for me), the difficulty of isolating HIV in a science lab, and how some people improved their health after getting off HIV meds.

    Yet HIV is such an emotional issue that it seemed many of the people in attendance had their minds made up to criticize the movie before seeing it.

    I recommend that people watch it and decide for themselves. If nothing else it should provide good conversation among your friends.

    Posted by: Anthony in Nashville | Apr 24, 2009 8:32:47 AM


  3. I am so excited about the movie "Fighting." I heard they're already working on the sequels "Looting" and "Raping."

    Posted by: crispy | Apr 24, 2009 9:11:58 AM


  4. something must be wrong with one of my gay genes, but Channing Tatum does nothing for me

    too polished, too perfect

    that guy in the Argentinian short looks far better :D

    Posted by: steve | Apr 24, 2009 9:19:56 AM


  5. yes, i would TOTALLY miss my stop to stare sideways at the beautiful man. i have been known to run into telephone poles staring at some random construction worker in shorts and boots.

    Posted by: jack | Apr 24, 2009 9:37:42 AM


  6. TN native here...hope you're having a good time in Nashville Andy!

    Posted by: Ford | Apr 24, 2009 10:26:59 AM


  7. TN Native here..Hope you're having fun in Nashville!

    Posted by: Ford | Apr 24, 2009 10:30:03 AM


  8. Tatum is one sexy white boy...rugged and raw. If I saw him on one of the gayborhood coners in Philly late at night...I RUN! See, old queens got sense...even drunk.

    Posted by: Derrick from Philly | Apr 24, 2009 10:35:06 AM


  9. No, I wouldn't miss my stop. It's not that unusual to see a guy with a shirt off (or on, but still very sexy 'cause it's painted on...) on the MUNI in SF. I don't know about your gym, but I see dozens of better-looking men every day at mine, and with less clothes on as well. Maybe I'm jaded.

    Posted by: FixItAgainTony | Apr 24, 2009 12:38:46 PM


  10. Blegh. Tatum's body can't make me forgive him for his face.

    "Prodigal Sons" does sound fantastic though.

    Posted by: Glenn | Apr 24, 2009 11:43:18 PM


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